Electronic data processing system performing read-ahead operation with variable sized data, and related method of operation

Abstract

A method of reading data in an electronic system includes detecting whether a trigger signal in the electronic system is enabled, the trigger signal being selectively enabled according to at least one operating condition of the electronic system, as a consequence of detecting that the trigger signal is enabled, changing a size of read-ahead data based on the enabled trigger signal, and performing a read operation based on a read command and the changed size of the read-ahead data.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of reading data in an electronic system, comprising:
 detecting whether a trigger signal in the electronic system is enabled, the trigger signal being selectively enabled according to at least one operating condition of the electronic system; 
 as a consequence of detecting that the trigger signal is enabled, changing a size of read-ahead data based on the enabled trigger signal; and 
 performing a read operation based on a read command and the changed size of the read-ahead data, 
 wherein the trigger signal is indicative of whether the electronic system is connected to an external device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic system is a mobile system. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein said changing the size of the read-ahead data comprises:
 determining a type of the enabled trigger signal; and 
 increasing or decreasing the size of the read-ahead data based on the determined type of the enabled trigger signal. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the trigger signal comprises a first trigger signal, a second trigger signal, and a third trigger signal,
 wherein the first trigger signal is enabled to indicate that the mobile system is connected to the external storage device, the second trigger signal is enabled to indicate that a predetermined application or process is executed by the mobile system, and the third trigger signal is enabled to indicate that data of a predetermined type is to be sequentially read by the mobile system. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein where at least one of the first, second and third trigger signals is enabled, the size of the read-ahead data is increased. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein where at least two of the first, second and third trigger signals are enabled, the size of the read-ahead data is increased based on the at least two of the first, second, and third trigger signals. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein where at least two of the first, second, and third trigger signals are enabled, one of the at least two of the first, second and third trigger signals is selected, and the size of the read-ahead data is increased based on the selected trigger signal. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the trigger signal comprises a first trigger signal, a second trigger signal, and a third trigger signal,
 wherein the first trigger signal is enabled to indicate that the external storage device is disconnected from the mobile system, the second trigger signal is enabled to indicate that execution of a predetermined application or process by the mobile system is terminated, and the third trigger signal is enabled to indicate that an operation for sequentially reading predetermined data by the mobile system is terminated. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein where at least one of the first, second and third trigger signals is enabled, the size of the read-ahead data is decreased. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the size of the read-ahead data is changed according to a type of the external storage device connected to the mobile system, a type of a communication interface between the mobile system and the external storage device, a type of a predetermined application or process that is executed by the mobile system, or a type or size of predetermined data to be sequentially read by the mobile system. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the external storage device comprises a memory card, a secure digital (SD) card, a multimedia card (MMC), an embedded MMC (eMMC), a compact flash (CF) card, a universal serial bus (USB) storage device, or a camera device. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the external storage device communicates with the mobile system through a memory card interface, an USB interface, a wireless USB interface, an Ethernet interface, a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface, a Bluetooth interface, near field communication (NFC) interface, radio frequency identification (RFID) interface, or a media transfer protocol (MTP) interface. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the predetermined application or process comprises a multimedia file player application, a multimedia file editor application, a multimedia file production application, a data download application, a data streaming application, or an installation process for an application. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the data of the predetermined type comprises a multimedia file or a file having a size larger than a reference size. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the mobile system is a mobile phone, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), a digital camera, a music player, a portable game console, a camcorder, a video player, or a navigation system. 
     
     
       16. An electronic system, comprising:
 an application processor configured to 
 execute an operating system (OS) of the electronic system, 
 detect a state of a trigger signal in the electronic system, 
 change a size of read-ahead data based on the detected state of the trigger signal, and 
 perform a read operation in the electronic system based on a read command and the changed size of the read-ahead data, 
 wherein the trigger signal is selectively enabled according to an operating condition of the electronic system, and the size of the read-ahead data indicates an amount of data prefetched before the read operation is required in the electronic system; and 
 a memory device configured to store the OS, 
 wherein the state of the trigger signal indicates whether a predetermined application or process is to be executed by the electronic system. 
 
     
     
       17. The electronic system of  claim 16 , wherein the electronic system is a mobile system, and the state of the trigger signal indicates whether the mobile system is connected to an external device. 
     
     
       18. The electronic system of  claim 16 , wherein the electronic system is a mobile system. 
     
     
       19. The electronic system of  claim 16 , wherein the electronic system is a mobile system, and the state of the trigger signal indicates whether data of a predetermined type is to be sequentially read by the mobile system. 
     
     
       20. The electronic system of  claim 16 , wherein the trigger signal comprises multiple trigger signals respectively indicating whether the electronic system is connected to an external storage device, whether the predetermined application or process is executed by the electronic system, and whether data of a predetermined type is to be sequentially read by the electronic system.